Flying things!

Reported

Warm weather = fly invasion in my house. I tried the usual vinegar traps and peppermint oil, which helped a little, but nothing major.

What really worked was adding mesh to the windows. We ordered ours from Premier Screens, now I can keep the windows open without battling wasps or giant blue bottles every day.

Flies drive me mad as soon as the weather warms up. I’ve tried little tricks like vinegar and peppermint oil but they only helped a bit.

What’s made the biggest difference here is putting mesh on the windows. We got ours from Screens and it means I can actually have the windows open without wasps or blue bottles making themselves at home.

Reported, reported and reported.

Though who knows, some of those substances might work well as creepy crawly deterrents.

NotSpaghetti

shysal - is the mesh small enough to keep out the "no-se-um" type bugs or, (given that they are really for cats) are they larger holes than bug screens?

The web site says they are insect proof. I have used my screens for years and are not bothered by the bugs you describe. The only problem are the big flies which come in via the open French window downstairs and find their way upstairs. Vintagegirl up thread mentions something similar which sounds finer.

I always rescue bees when I find them, but we seem to have a proliferation of small wasp-like creatures this year that I haven’t seen before. They appear to be nesting under the steps in the garden. I’m keeping an eye on them. If we get a fly in the house I will pursue it relentlessly - can’t bear them! I bought some fly traps from the garden centre but they were useless, so it’s back to leaping about with the fly swatter!

The insect population is very greatly reduced, bees and bumble bees especially, my fruit bushes were always buzzing with them. I provide lots of flowers via the fruit and at least I am keeping them alive.

The one or two bees have been extremely busy and there are dozens of tiny apples, hundreds of gooseberries and blackcurrants and today I saw very many swelling blueberries. My autumn raspberries are already producing flowers so that will help. Its a topsy turvy world for these small vital creatures

I don`t kill any insects, they are part of the cycle of nature. Eg my roses are full of greenfly and soon the predators will come in, ladybirds, hover flies, birds, lacewings, wasps

I don`t like flies in the house though and was thinking about getting some of those door curtains made from strips. Nothing that needs to be drilled or stuck onto the frame, am thinking suckers might work

I had special fly net roller blinds on the outside of all my last windows, I could raise and lower the net, By the time I left that house, the nets were starting to deteriorate, I would not go for anything that permanent again

I gather if you cut open ale on and put cloves into it the flies don’t like the smell
Haven’t tried it but worth a gp

We do get flies coming into the conservatory when the weather's warm. I do rescue any bees I can.

The flies seem to kark it overnight so I vacuum them up the next morning.

Been chasing 2 flies around this evening but better than the invasion of wasps last year. Had to get pest control in twice last year as the blighters were coming through in the bedrooms. Over the last few days have found a handful of dead bees ( the big furry kind) dead on the patio.

We have used fly papers over the past few years; they are now fruit based glue, and as soon as a few flies are stuck the paper is changed. (Do you remember years ago they would have so many flies attached you could hardly see the paper? Uggh!) I won't use sprays as they are so harmful.

shysal - is the mesh small enough to keep out the "no-se-um" type bugs or, (given that they are really for cats) are they larger holes than bug screens?

A few years ago my daughter had loads of flies in her kitchen.

She used those sticky paper fly catchers, not very attractive but they did the trick.

Dianalouise I used to love watching the may bugs or cockchafers crawling up the kitchen window in may when the light was on. Fascinating creatures, but by the time I moved from the countryside into a city, I hardly saw any. Our insects are under so much threat from insecticides that the swift and swallow populations are suffering. I remember way back, when my dad had to stop the car occasionally to wipe the windscreen.

Wasps, little flitty things, may flies and black beetle things, never seen anything like it these past few days, impossible to walk on the seafront today eating ice cream or anything, which was a shame for visitors on this lovely day.

PilgrimQuill

Interesting post about the silver paper and shiny windcatchers - I'll try that.
Bluebelle - your snails - I too am plagued with them. Have your tried putting lettuce leaves down around the plant you want to save and then putting them on the compost heap in the morning with all the snails still attached?

I'm also going to try windcatchers etc.

Someone in work said she uses peppermint oil, she wipes it around the rim of windows

I have a very small dog who has spent all morning in pursuit of a fly.....taking his guarding duties extremely seriously!

Interesting post about the silver paper and shiny windcatchers - I'll try that.
Bluebelle - your snails - I too am plagued with them. Have your tried putting lettuce leaves down around the plant you want to save and then putting them on the compost heap in the morning with all the snails still attached?

Not a banana in sight but fruit flies inundating the kitchen. I am trying the cider vinegar or wine with washing up liquid - they just go for a swim and come out of the jar somewhat tiddly! Total infestation of harlequin ladybirds in the master and adjacent bedroom. Have been using citronella incense sticks to some effect. I can live with them BUT I cannot live w ith the wasps. Of varying hues and very sleepy. In the same room. No nest obvious. Sleeping in the spare room pro tem.

pretty soon the dreaded maybugs (cockchafer)will be coming down the chimney as soon as we turn a light on. I hate them

We have had cluster flies that live under the eaves. They appear as the weather warms up and disappear in the autumn. I found a repellent that I put under the eaves and have barely seen any this year. Sorry, I can’t remember its name.

I have some sheer net curtain over the bathroom window that is never closed. It came as a kit with some velcro edging to fasten directly to frame. I keep it there all year road as need to keep moths and spiders at bay as well as flies.

I hate wasps but for some reason we haven’t had any this year. In fact the insect population seems reduced- not many bees, either, which is concerning. We have had a very dry year, maybe they have died ?

Years ago, I had a plague of bluebottles. They just kept coming and I couldn't imagine how they got in. Then I realised that they were coming from the living room and were trying to get out! I discovered that they had been wintering under the sofa and were hatching from dozens of eggs. The vacuum cleaner soon put paid to their refuge.

Just had my first wasp encounter this year, so the living room window is now closed. I managed to encourage it to leave the way it arrived but I hate the things. Sharks with wings. The fruit flies are starting to appear too but I deal with them with cider vinegar in small ramekins.

And - lots of tiny flies or gnats coming over the fence from next door yesterday. I presume they bred in their pond.